World

Israeli Actor-Activist Shot Dead by Hamas Militants in West Bank

Juliano Mer-Khamis was born to a Jewish mother and an Arab-Christian father. An actor and director of Israeli descent, he was a pro-Palestinian peace activist. As such, he was considered by many to be straddling the often impenetrable divide between Israel and Palestine.

Israeli Actor Activist Shot Dead by Hamas Militants in West Bank

In 2009, he told Israel’s army radio, “I am 100 percent Palestinian and 100 percent Jewish.”

The AFP:

He was well-known for his political activism as well as his acting and directing, and most recently starred in “Miral” (2010), the story of two Palestinian women after the creation of Israel in 1948, which had its premiere at UN headquarters in New York.

But he was shot dead today in the Palestinian refugee camp Jenin, just yards away from the theater he founded there, the Freedom Theatre. Witnesses saw two masked men open fire on Mer-Khamis’ car and then rush away from the scene.

Israeli Actor Activist Shot Dead by Hamas Militants in West Bank

In the car with Mer-Khamis were his one-year-old son, and the infant’s nanny. The nanny was hurt in the hand. Mer-Khamis was 52.

Palestinian prime minister Salam Fayyad condemned the killing and said he had ordered the Palestinian security services to “work round the clock” to find the killers.

“This despicable crime will not be tolerated under any circumstances: it constitutes a severe violation of our principles and values and goes against our people’s morals and beliefs in co-existence,” Fayyad said in statement.

Later Mer-Khamis body was transferred to Israel.

Mer-Khamis’ wife, Jenny, is pregnant with twins. Jenny, a Finn, heard the news of her husbands death over Israeli radio.

Why would Mer-Khamis be gunned down? Some say that his theater was promoting liberal values with which some Palestinians found themselves at odds.

Jerusalem Post:

Palestinian Authority security officials arrested a Hamas operative in Jenin suspected of involvement in the murder of actor, filmmaker and peace activist Juliano Mer-Khamis.

Several other suspects were arrested on Monday night following the murder, many of whom were later released. Both the IDF and the PA security forces were investigating the circumstances and motive of the murder, which remained unclear.

Zacharia Zabaidi, a close friend of Mer-Khamis and a former commander of the Al-Aksa Martyr’s Brigade said that the actor fell victim to power struggles among Palestinian factions, Israel Radio reported.

In this tribute to the Freedom Theatre, Mer-Khamis speaks about why theater is an important part of the life of a community. Nearly half of the refugees of this particular camp are minors, and you’ll see that children take center stage in this clip:

But for some Palestinians, the Freedom Theatre pushed the boundaries too far. The Guardian reports:

While his work was widely appreciated by Palestinians, his bringing together of young men and women angered conservative Muslim elements in Jenin. In addition to threats, fire bombs were thrown at the theatre. However the project was supported by local militants. Zakaria Zubeidi, a leader of the al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, frequented the theatre as a child.

Kadura Musa, governor of Jenin, said: “He was a Palestinian citizen of Israeli origin. An actor and an artist but most of all a true human being. We don’t know why this happened, but all the people of the camp condemn the death of this son of ours whose mother also did so much for the people of Jenin.”

Alaa Eddin Saadi lives next to the theatre, and said that Mer Khamis was shot while in a car also carrying his one-year old son and his nanny, who was wounded in the hand. “I don’t think he was killed because he was Jewish. Some people were angry with the liberal values he was promoting at the theatre, but to me he was a very nice guy who worked hard for the people here.”

The theater had a history of sparking Palestinian outrage:

Residents of the refugee camp disseminated fliers in 2009 calling the actor a fifth column. “If words don’t help we will have to speak in bullets,” the fliers said.

The theater, which became one of the city’s main culture centers since its establishment five years ago, has sustained many firebomb attacks. In April of 2009 the theater’s door was torched.

In an interview with Ynet that year, Mer-Khamis said he feared for his life. “But what choice do I have? To run? I am not a fleeing man,” he said.

“I am an elite force man, formerly of the paratroopers. The only two things I gained from Israeli culture are Shlonsky’s translations of Shakespeare and adequate field training. Now I need it.”

However, the actor added, he was taking precautions. Of those behind the fliers he said, “It makes them crazy that a man who is half-Jewish is at the head of one of the most important projects in the Palestinian West Bank and it is just hypocritical racism.”

“I have never been as Jewish as I am right now in Jenin. After all this work at the camp it would be extremely unfortunate to die of a Palestinian bullet,” he added in a moment of clairvoyance.

May Juliano Mer-Khamis rest in peace.

Comments (94)

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  • Rickfromillinois
    Posted on April 5, 2011 at 8:51am

    This well intentioned man tried to help the Palestinians and was killed by other Palestinians who were more conservative. Well isn’t that a direct way to handle people who you disagree with? None of that mamby-pampy garbage about trying to actually convince people to change to your point of view through reasoning, this is so much less complicated, saves time, and takes so much less effort. It is very similar to the way the Muslims convince people to convert to Islam. Convert or die. As someone who was raised in the Middle-east the poor guy should have realized, if you keep poking the bear with a stick, don’t be surprised if you end up bear food.

    Report Post » Rickfromillinois  
  • rightwingheroes
    Posted on April 5, 2011 at 8:51am

    This despicable crime will not be tolerated under any circumstances: it constitutes a severe violation of our principles and values and goes against our people’s morals and beliefs in co-existence,” Fayyad said in statement.

    So the constant rocket attacks and murder of whole families is against your beliefs? Tell that to the terror group you are harboring.

    Report Post »  
  • MaggieRose
    Posted on April 5, 2011 at 8:46am

    So heartbreakingly sad… Standing with Israel… praying for peace.

    Report Post »  
  • WeeOne
    Posted on April 5, 2011 at 8:44am

    My Heart Hurts , so much Hate , in this most
    Beautiful World , His Glory is every where , The beginning and the end …I AM

    Report Post »  
    • UpstateNYConservative
      Posted on April 5, 2011 at 8:50am

      Imagine how the Majesty of Perfection feels. And He sees it all, from the beginning.

      The shortest verse in the Bible is probably the most important one: “Jesus (God) wept.*”

      *Parentheses mine

      Report Post » UpstateNYConservative  
    • NYSTREETKID
      Posted on April 5, 2011 at 9:01am

      Because man has free will. God know that force will not make anyone believe. but to server as a slave. He give man a choice. To do so, He had to allow evil and death into the world. man made his choices too. here is where we stand today. faith is hard

      Report Post »  
  • Bolo2811
    Posted on April 5, 2011 at 8:35am

    FACE IT! palestinians ARE BARBARIC SAVAGES! AND ALWAYS WILL BE. Even if Israel wasn’t even there they would find something or someone else to kill. Israel needs to just get rid of them once and for all, otherwise they will just continue to be “****** in their eyes” and “thorns in their sides”.

    Report Post »  
  • Mousey
    Posted on April 5, 2011 at 8:23am

    This reminds me of that guy that lived with the bears and thought they’d accepted him until one day they killed him. You can not make a bear a human and you can not make a human a bear. You can’t live with bears. Remember the woman that loved seals and swam with them and thought she was “one with nature”? One day a shark ate her. You must stay with your own kind. Life is simple if you follow natural law, I feel sorry for the deluded man; but this was inevitable.

    Report Post » Mousey  
  • UpstateNYConservative
    Posted on April 5, 2011 at 8:18am

    I wonder if the Palestinians will pass out sweets over this like they did for the butchery of the Fogel family.

    BTW, you liberals out there: a three-month-old baby was slaughtered so bad his little body was described as ‘decapitated’. How do you like your ‘Palestinian solidarity’ now?

    Pffft!

    Report Post » UpstateNYConservative  
    • Gonzo
      Posted on April 5, 2011 at 8:34am

      Liberals can justify anything my friend.

      Report Post » Gonzo  
    • UpstateNYConservative
      Posted on April 5, 2011 at 8:38am

      @Gonzo

      Yes, I know. But I can’t figure out how they do it. Even in my worst drunk, I can’t do the mental and emotional convolutions it takes to be liberal when they do their thing while sober. I just don‘t get how they’re able to manage being liberal.

      Report Post » UpstateNYConservative  
  • blackeyerat
    Posted on April 5, 2011 at 8:15am

    He will be in my prayer that his soul will be in rest in heaven and also pray his theater will still be open for peace and freedom

    Report Post » blackeyerat  
  • ares338
    Posted on April 5, 2011 at 8:15am

    This highlights what Israelis live with every day!

    Report Post » ares338  
  • ares338
    Posted on April 5, 2011 at 8:12am

    Sarah Pallin did it.

    Report Post » ares338  
  • Bushie
    Posted on April 5, 2011 at 8:09am

    Barbara Streisand should take her nose out of obama’s A$S and gather support from her Hollywood jokers for her people. Then again, maybe she really doesn’t care about them.

    Report Post » Bushie  
    • In a Bunker
      Posted on April 5, 2011 at 10:33am

      Yeah, what is up with Jewish celebs not supporting Israel? It’s mind boggling.

      Report Post » In a Bunker  
  • UpstateNYConservative
    Posted on April 5, 2011 at 8:08am

    Gee, if that Florida pastor didn’t burn a Koran this never would have happened. /sarc

    Report Post » UpstateNYConservative  
  • Bushie
    Posted on April 5, 2011 at 8:04am

    Israel should kill of 1000 t hamas for ever Israeli killed.

    Report Post » Bushie  
  • peezee
    Posted on April 5, 2011 at 8:03am

    Such a small area causes so much trouble for the world. It makes no sense.

    Report Post »  
    • BQI
      Posted on April 5, 2011 at 9:21am

      @PEEZEE

      I understand what you are saying but with a reading of the bible one can understand the events even if it does not “make sense”. It boils down to the age old saying “good vs evil”. Sounds simplistic but it actually boils down to this.

      BQI has a Private (password protected) Article “GOOD vs EVIL. I hope you will visit the site to read this article that sheds more light on this issue.

      PASSWORD: GOOD………THE link is: http://blackquillandink.com/?page_id=4518

      Report Post » BQI  
  • kickagrandma
    Posted on April 5, 2011 at 8:01am

    Ah, LORD. And, so it deepens, the rift. GOD, place YOUR loving hands around us, YOUR creations and hold us tight lest we fly apart. Forgive us when we fail YOU. Heal us where we are torn asunder. Use us LORD to YOUR glory. In JESUS’ PRECIOUS NAME, the name above all names, amen.

    Report Post »  
  • Gonzo
    Posted on April 5, 2011 at 8:01am

    How long will it take for the blame to shift to the Israelis?

    Report Post » Gonzo  
  • Moocephus
    Posted on April 5, 2011 at 8:00am

    You can play both sides of the fence with these people. Both Israel and Palestine cultures believe that mixing the bloodlines is against the law. The hate for each other may be the doom of both races. There will never be peace until God comes and puts them both over his knee.

    Report Post » Moocephus  
  • NickDeringer
    Posted on April 5, 2011 at 8:00am

    So explain to me again why we want to give these people their own country?

    Report Post » NickDeringer  
    • NYSTREETKID
      Posted on April 5, 2011 at 8:56am

      1948 the UN give the trans jordan area to the arabs, the jews state agreed to the broaders, there was a arab state,but the brits and some of the other so called power help the arab by handing over arms and forts to the arabs. The arabs where push also from the muslim brotherhood to wipe out the newly formed state. The Brits just walked away. thinking that this jewish problem would be pushed into the sea. Then they would say we tried,all well,sorry. The fact that it did not work out that way,was a bit of a shock to much of the world. That little state is god’s people. You can win against God.

      Report Post »  
    • TheHardTruth
      Posted on April 5, 2011 at 5:08pm

      BTW, it’s an open secret that the rest of the Arab nations consider Palestinians the “lower class” since they are essentially unaffiliated with any country. They started out poor, homeless refugees. Therefore, the other Arab nations just stand by and watching as they fight the hard fight. But will they give them refuge if needed? NO – as seen in history over and over. (Read the facts about the Lebanon war).

      Basically: All Palestinians are being USED by the richer Arab countries and sacrificed by their own people. They should just give up the fight, they will NEVER WIN ISRAEL!!!!

      Report Post »  
  • JUSTANOTHEROPINION
    Posted on April 5, 2011 at 7:59am

    Ok, everybody that believes they will really find the killers or even look for them say to yourself 5 times, I hope I wakeup soon.

    Report Post »  
    • TheHardTruth
      Posted on April 5, 2011 at 5:04pm

      Agreed.

      Interesting, Palestinians must know that anyone born to a Jewish woman is 100% JEWISH. Which is horrifynig and sad since so many Jewish women out there are kidnapped and forced into Muslim marriages (where they are cut off from their family and brutalized on a regular basis). This means that their children are 100% JEWISH. Scary to think that they are killing what is essenetially their own brethren…

      Report Post »  
  • tom
    Posted on April 5, 2011 at 7:58am

    Research:

    Soldiers are from Muslim families loyal to Ouattara.

    Early reports suggested that more than 800 people, largely from the Gbagbo-supporting Gueré tribe, were killed in a single day at the sprawling Salesian Saint Teresa of the Child Jesus mission in Duekoue, 300 miles west of Abidjan towards the Liberian border. The attackers seem to have been largely soldiers descended from Burkina Faso immigrant Muslim families loyal to Ouattara.

    Report Post » tom  
  • idontgetit
    Posted on April 5, 2011 at 7:58am

    “This despicable crime will not be tolerated under any circumstances: it constitutes a severe violation of our principles and values and goes against our people’s morals and beliefs in co-existence,” Fayyad said in statement.

    I remember when he said this about the Jewish family that was Murdered…O wait

    Report Post »  
    • Gonzo
      Posted on April 5, 2011 at 8:03am

      “a severe violation of our principles and values” Yea right, it looks like this IS your principles and values.

      Report Post » Gonzo  
    • drbage
      Posted on April 5, 2011 at 8:40am

      Mr. Fayyad is living in the same parallel universe as Obama and his acolytes. Since when has he or anyone in the Hamas or Palestine believed in co-existence with the Israelis? That is as believable as Hillary’s statement that Assad in Syria is a reformer–what is he actually reforming–the level of suppression, the types of torture? Food for thought: Iran has two warships pass through the Suez Canal. Shortly thereafter, there is a marked increase of rockets fired into Israel, Mahmoud Abbas announces that he would willingly give up all US aid to unify Palestine, Bill Ayers, Bernadine Dorn, and Code Pink go to Lebanon to work on the “Freedom Flotilla II,” and this assassination. Could there be any possible connection??

      Report Post »  
  • Mister_Bill
    Posted on April 5, 2011 at 7:58am

    Isn‘t this how the National Socialist party tookk over Germany in the 30’s. All you have to do is help the people with their thoughts.

    Report Post » Mister_Bill  
    • NYSTREETKID
      Posted on April 5, 2011 at 8:47am

      The Fact is germans would and did make ,Hitler. He just didn’t pop up one day. He was a child of german.He was able to tap into the german mind set. Better yet, He was able to flow with the german people. The german knew what he or she was getting. Just like the left Knows obama. Why is it hard to understand that people take on leader in most case that mirror themselves. The german said we dont know.Bull,they help in all of it. by making of Tanks to running the railroads,to have the babies for the Hitler youth. You can not leader anything or anyone if they wont follow.

      Report Post »  
    • MaggieRose
      Posted on April 5, 2011 at 9:12am

      Well, kind of you guys… first there had to be multiple crisis (a perfect storm, if you will) in food and fuel shortages, hyper-inflation and crushing national debt, and recovery from an unpopular war that left German nationalism in ruins. Then there had to be years of nudging, picking a scape-goat, and careful training the youth of the country to hate the said scape-goat. Then there had to arise a leader that could lead Germany out of all that mess… and rid the country of the hated few that had caused the “mess.” You get a heated uprising of brainwashed youth and organized workers against the hated few, a twisted but brilliant leader, and the full strength of the government and media behind it… the hated Jewish few didn’t stand a chance against such a well orchestrated machine.

      ps: Any of this sound familiar? Pray for America…

      Report Post »  
  • hillbillyinny
    Posted on April 5, 2011 at 7:58am

    Lord, receive him into your arms, and be with his wife, child to be born and the rest of his family.

    Report Post »  
    • NYSTREETKID
      Posted on April 5, 2011 at 8:39am

      He was a moral man,but a fool. He thought that he was part of them, He was a jew first to them. The fact is he was a jew in the end,to them. The jew who thinks peace can be found with these “people”. Is not only unsafe for his county,but is unsafe for his family. The world is not made safe by well wishing dreams,but peace through security. I will pray for his wife and children, God is father to the fatherless. I truly cant understand. 63 yrs being bombed,shot, and killed. Those on the left think that you can just talk away a blood faud that is thousands of years old. strenght and honor

      Report Post »  
    • Lord_Frostwind
      Posted on April 5, 2011 at 10:00am

      While this man was deluded, I do feel for his family. Even when people like him decide to live and die by their fairytale existence, we still do everything we can to save them. All we get is the blame when their so called friends murder them. I wonder if they will ever figure that out?

      Report Post » Lord_Frostwind  
  • thejackal
    Posted on April 5, 2011 at 7:57am

    More tolerance from the religion of peace. When is this going to stop.

    Report Post » thejackal  
    • rt elms
      Posted on April 5, 2011 at 9:25am

      Like the fable of the Hunter and the Grizzly Bear; the bear (the Palestinians) wants a full belly and the hunter (Israel) wants a fur coat. The Grizzly says to the hunter “lay down your gun and we’ll both get what we want.”

      Report Post » rt elms  
    • ozchambers
      Posted on April 5, 2011 at 11:41am

      Clearly their hand was forced after learning that he considered himself 100% Jewish.

      We had better come to grips with understanding that the above statement is considered mainstream in the Islamic fundamentalist world. They arent gonna change their minds. We had better be prepared to stand up for what is right and just in the face of violent evil or evil will triumph.

      Report Post » ozchambers  
  • tobywil2
    Posted on April 5, 2011 at 7:55am

    ROCKET ATTACKS ON ISRAEL
    Rockets are again being fired into Israeli cities, killing and maiming innocent citizens. These attacks have continued for years with brief unofficial armistice occurring whenever it was to the advantage of the aggressor. Israel’s retaliation for these attacks are demonized by the press as evil attacks against innocent civilians but there is no outrage about the rockets being fired randomly into the Israeli cites, maiming and killing innocent citizens. Despite years of “Peace Talks” and concessions by the Israelis, the rocket attacks continue whenever it is to the advantage of the aggressor. Any retaliation by Israel is always demonized by the press.

    The most important fact about this Mid-East conflict is that the initiation of the violence is always against Israel. If the aggressors ceased the attacks there would be no retaliation and there would finally be Peace in the Mid-East. What a tragedy for the tyrants!

    The reason for the rocket attacks?
    1. The tyrant requires an enemy to retain power
    2. Israel has produced considerable wealth and that wealth is available for the Tyrants to plunder.
    3. Compare the tyrants to the Somalia Pirates; the only different is the scale of the attacks and the positive press the tyrants enjoy.
    http://commonsense21c.com/

    Report Post » tobywil2  
    • Creestof
      Posted on April 5, 2011 at 8:17am

      Seems like a good man with a noble cause. This death is a shame.

      Report Post »  
    • Guerrino_P
      Posted on April 5, 2011 at 8:21am

      Concessions by the Israelis? Israel must be serious about peace. If not this madness will never end.

      Report Post »  
    • Obama Bin Lying
      Posted on April 5, 2011 at 8:38am

      I guess Muslims don’t care who you are. It is that whole Jewish thing that gets them all riled up.

      When will people learn there will be no peace with Arabs, until they learn to love thier children more than they hate anything or anyone who is not a Muslim?

      Report Post » Obama Bin Lying  
    • MaggieRose
      Posted on April 5, 2011 at 8:56am

      @guerrino… did you mean the Palestinians must be serious about peace, perhaps?

      “There will be no peace until they love their children more than they hate us.” Golda Meir

      “If the Palestinians lay down their arms, there will be peace. If Israel lays down her arms, there will be no Israel.”

      Report Post »  
    • Thatsitivehadenough
      Posted on April 5, 2011 at 9:02am

      More murder by the followers of the religion of peace. What else is new? They thrive on the blood of innocent people. They are like vampires. Throw all the Muslims out of Israel. That’s the only way to have peace. Let them kill each other in their own Muslim lands. No one else wants them.

      Report Post » Thatsitivehadenough  
    • Stu D. Baker-Hawk
      Posted on April 5, 2011 at 9:03am

      @Guerrino_P: You got that exactly backwards, pal.

      Report Post »  
    • GODSAMERICA
      Posted on April 5, 2011 at 9:36am

      It sounds to me like it might be getting more difficult to infiltrate and murder Israeli’s so these terrorists are so addicted to killing they are willing to kill anyone that they can get close to.

      Report Post » GODSAMERICA  
    • rappini
      Posted on April 5, 2011 at 10:41am

      Guerrino, both sides have to be serious about peace.

      Report Post » rappini  
    • patriot308
      Posted on April 5, 2011 at 11:40am

      I agree Tobywil2;

      And to Creestov;

      Did you not read this part?? “Zacharia Zabaidi, a close friend of Mer-Khamis and a former commander of the Al-Aksa MARTYR’S Brigade”.

      You called him; “A good man with a noble cause”….. I’m sure he told all his friends, “Zacharia doesn’t want to kill Israeli children, he must do it for peace”. Not a good man with a noble cause….. A useful idiot, like most ‘actors’.

      Report Post »  
    • Robert-CA
      Posted on April 5, 2011 at 11:41am

      OBAMA BIN LYING
      Posted on April 5, 2011 at 8:38am
      I guess Muslims don’t care who you are. It is that whole Jewish thing that gets them all riled up.

      When will people learn there will be no peace with Arabs, until they learn to love thier children more than they hate anything or anyone who is not a Muslim?
      _______________________
      They don’t care , you are right . They will kill anyone in there way .
      & no one will stop radical muslims but muslims themselves , moderate muslims should take a stand or else they will be killed by their fellow radicals .
      Such a hate in these people .

      Report Post » Robert-CA  
    • techengineer11
      Posted on April 5, 2011 at 5:43pm

      Making fun of Van Jones this evening GB mocked him because the rally he was at associated America’s foregin policy with what happened on 9/11. I just wonder other than our foreign policy why else would these Muslims be killing themselves in order to exact a small amount of pain on the US? Seriously GB I don‘t care for VJ either and he’s by his own words a Marxist but please don’t play stupid.

      We need to shake off this Jewish Apartheid reigning in DC and get the heck out of the Middle East for good! Stop giving Israel Billions of dollars each year to slaughter Palestians and create the strongest Military in the ME with no Damn DEBT!! It is outrageous and it is treason against the USA GB and you are their shill! Stop it now! Israel is not the 51st state and if you feel so strongly about their security then by all means head over and apply for citizenship…

      Report Post » techengineer11  
    • techengineer11
      Posted on April 5, 2011 at 5:49pm

      Israel has produced considerable wealth and that wealth is available for the Tyrants to plunder.

      Wonder if all that wealth which they created had anything to do w/ the 3-15 Billion each year they’ve received out of the US Treasury? lol

      You people don’t really bother me because I use to be exactly like you probably even more fanatic than most on this site but you people are missing some pretty big pieces to the puzzle.

      Report Post » techengineer11  
    • Guerrino_P
      Posted on April 5, 2011 at 6:22pm

      RAPPINI, I couldn’t agree with you more. It takes two to tango. I hope both side come to their senses.

      Report Post »  
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